Mag Dryer

ABSTRACT

A Mag Dryer is a magnetically attachable device for receiving thereon handwear, footwear, headwear, and other articles that are thereby air dried using a heat source to which the Mag Dryer is attached or is attached nearby. The Mag Dryer utilizes a plurality of drying wands to suspend wet articles in proximity to a heat source. The drying wands are relatively slender and extend outwards from an attachment base a significant distance, thereby providing an excellent means for mounting a myriad of different articles thereon. The attachment base is magnetic and can securely mount on any material which is attracted to a magnet. Appropriate surfaces include metal heating grates covering forced air furnace vents, registers, radiators, fireplaces, and any magnetic surface near a heat/hot air/moving air source.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/331,405 entitled MAG DRYER and filed on Apr. 22, 2015, which isspecifically incorporated by reference herein for all that it disclosesand teaches.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of dryingappliances; and more specifically, to a magnetically attachable devicefor receiving thereon handwear, footwear, headwear, and other articlesthat are thereby air dried using the heat source to which the Mag Dryeris attached.

BACKGROUND

Since humans first began wearing articles of clothing and/or footwear(collectively articles), there has been a need to dry those articleswhen they become wet due to rain, snow, or other reasons. Traditionalmethods of air-drying involve turning the articles inside-out andhanging them from clothes-lines, putting them in powered dryerappliances, or just propping them up near heat registers/fireplaces/etc.

However, such methods leave much to be desired. Outdoor clothes-lines donot dry articles very well when the temperatures are below freezingand/or the humidity is high (or the weather is otherwise inclement).Powered dryer appliances can be too hard on delicate articles and alsorequire a lot of energy to do the job. Heat registers and fireplacesprovide ‘free’ heat, but it can be difficult to prop articles in themost efficient positions/locations so as to minimize drying time whileensuring that the articles do not become scorched. As articles dry, theymay shift and turn, causing them to fall over or otherwise move from themost efficient location. Further, if there are many persons attemptingto use the same heat source at once, there may not be enough room; andif an article touches another article, it may cause both to dry lessefficiently. What is needed is a device that can maximize the availablespace near a register and/or fireplace while holding articles near theheat source but far enough away to minimize scorching damage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A Mag Dryer comprises a magnetically attachable device for receivingthereon handwear, footwear, headwear, and other articles that arethereby air dried using a heat source to which the Mag Dryer is attachedor is attached nearby. The Mag Dryer utilizes a plurality of dryingwands to suspend wet articles in proximity to a heat source. The dryingwands are relatively slender and extend outwards from the Mag Dryer asignificant distance, thereby providing an excellent means for mountinga myriad of different articles thereon. The Mag Dryer utilizes anattachment base which can securely mount on any material which isattracted to a magnet. Appropriate surfaces include metal heating gratescovering forced air furnace vents, registers, radiators, fireplaces, andany magnetic surface near a heat/hot air/moving air source. Anyhorizontal surface such as a heat register in the floor can receive aplurality of Mag Dryers thereon with the drying wands pointing generallyupwards therefrom. In wall heat vents, fireplace doors, or othervertically mounted heat sources can also be used by Mag Dryers, usuallyattaching in a horizontal manner thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The aforementioned and other features and objects of the presentinvention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent andthe invention itself will be best understood by reference to thefollowing descriptions of a preferred embodiment and other embodimentstaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of an exemplary embodimentof a Mag Dryer;

FIG. 2 illustrates a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment ofa Mag Dryer;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of aMag Dryer;

FIG. 4 illustrates a front elevation view of an alternate exemplaryembodiment of a Mag Dryer; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a cross-section of the embodimentfrom FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth toprovide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However,those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments may bepracticed without such specific details. Furthermore, lists and/orexamples are often provided and should be interpreted as exemplary onlyand in no way limiting embodiments to only those examples. Similarly, inthis disclosure, language such as “could, should, may, might, must, haveto, can, would, need to, is, is not”, etc. and all such similar languageshall be considered interchangeable whenever possible such that thescope of the invention is not unduly limited. For example, a commentsuch as: “item X is used” can be interpreted to read “item X can beused”.

Exemplary embodiments are described below in the accompanying Figures.The following detailed description provides a comprehensive review ofthe drawing Figures in order to provide a thorough understanding of, andan enabling description for, these embodiments. One having ordinaryskill in the art will understand that in some cases well-knownstructures and functions have not been shown or described in detail toavoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspectiveview of an exemplary embodiment of a Mag Dryer 10. The Mag Dryer cancomprise an attachment base 20, a first spacing mount 30, a secondspacing mount 40, a plurality of drying wands 50 and 60, and a spreaderbar 90. The attachment base 20 can comprise any relatively strong magnetwhich can securely hold the Mag Dryer and any articles placed thereon.The stronger the magnetic holding power of the magnet used, the smallerthan magnet can be in physical dimensions. However, larger magnets canbe used without much issue as well. The benefit to smaller magnets isthat they will block less of the air/heat flow coming from the source towhich the attachment base 20 is attached.

In the embodiment in FIG. 1, extending out from the attachment base 20can be a first spacing mount 20 and a second spacing mount 30. Themounts themselves can be spaced at angles, or the plurality of dryingwands that extend therefrom can extend at an angle alternatively. Insome embodiments, if the drying wands are sufficiently spaced, they maynot need to be angled, but angles may provide an easierloading/unloading situation.

The first and second spacing mounts 20 and 30 attach to the attachmentbase 20 and extend outwards therefrom. They provide a mounting locationto attach the plurality of drying wands thereto. In an alternateembodiment, the drying wands can be attached directly to the attachmentbase.

Between the spacing mounts 20 and 30 can be a spreader bar 90. Thespreader bar 90 works to keep the spacing mounts 20 and 30 (and thedrying wands, since they can be attached thereto) spread apart. Thespreader bar 90 also provides a resting location for articles that haveslipped all the way down a drying wand to keep the article up and off ofthe attachment base 20 and the heat source.

Attached to and extending up from the spacing mounts 20 and 30 can be aplurality of dryer wands 50 and 60. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1, the number of dryer wands is two. In other embodiments more orfewer dryer wands are contemplated. Although the embodiment in FIG. 1illustrates the dryer wands as being long looped members, they can besingle members extending from the spacing mounts. Also, the embodimentin FIG. 1 shows the spreader bar 90 as being a non-integral componentseparate from the two dryer wands. In other embodiments, the spreaderbar 90 is integral with the dryer wands, with all three components beingformed from a single piece of material, with a first right-side dryerbar 52 extending up from the first spacing mount 20, the material thenlooping over and running back down as a first left-side dryer bar 54 tothe first spacing mount 20, then extending across to the second spacingmount 30 and forming thereby the spreader bar 90, then turning andextending up from the second spacing mount 30 as a second right-sidedryer bar 62, then looping over and running back down as a secondleft-side dryer bar 64 to the second spacing mount 30.

A first plurality of lock-ons 70 can affix one of the plurality of dryerwands 50 to the first spacing mount 30. A second plurality of lock-ons80 can affix another one of the plurality of dryer wands 60 to thesecond spacing mount 40.

The Mag Dryer can be magnetically attached to a heat source and then canreceive thereon any handwear, footwear, headwear, or other articles thatare thereby air dried using the heat/air from the heat source to whichthe Mag Dryer is attached (or is attached nearby). The Mag Dryerutilizes a plurality of drying wands to suspend wet articles inproximity to a heat source. The drying wands are relatively slender andextend outwards from the Mag Dryer a significant distance, therebyproviding an excellent means for mounting a myriad of different articlesthereon.

The Mag Dryer utilizes an attachment base which can securely mount onany material which is attracted to a magnet. Appropriate surfacesinclude metal heating grates covering forced air furnace vents,registers, radiators, fireplaces, and any magnetic surface near aheat/hot air/moving air source. Any horizontal surface such as a heatregister in the floor can receive a plurality of Mag Dryers thereon withthe drying wands pointing generally upwards therefrom. In wall heatvents, fireplace doors, or other vertically mounted heat sources canalso be used by Mag Dryers, usually attaching in a horizontal mannerthereto.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment ofa Mag Dryer 10. As can be seen in this view, the plurality of dryerwands 50 and 60 are relatively long and narrow, the better to slipinside articles and keep them open for good air circulationtherethrough.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of aMag Dryer 10.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front elevation view of an alternate exemplaryembodiment of a Mag Dryer 10 wherein the first and second spacing mounts30 and 40 extend from the attachment base and then are joined togetherby the spreader bar 90. The plurality of dryer wands 50 and 60 extendupwards from the spreader bar 90 rather than mounting directly to thespacing mounts 30 and 40. In yet another embodiment, the plurality ofdryer wands 50 and 60 can be mounted directly to the attachment base 20.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a cross-section of the embodimentfrom FIG. 4. In this view, the cross-section is taken in a planeparallel with the front plane of the device. The attachment base 20 isshown in this embodiment as comprising a protective cover 26 surroundinga magnetic core 24. The cover 26 can protect the magnetic core 24. Itcan also protect the articles and the mounting surface from the magneticcore 24 itself. In alternate embodiments, the protective cover 26extends completely around the base of the magnetic core 24 to protectmounting surfaces from the magnetic core 24. In yet another embodiment,the attachment base 20 does not include a protective cover 26 andinstead comprises only a magnetic core 24 as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3.

While particular embodiments have been described and disclosed in thepresent application, it is clear that any number of permutations,modifications, or embodiments may be made without departing from thespirit and the scope of this disclosure.

Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspectsof the embodiments should not be taken to imply that the terminology isbeing redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics,features, or aspects with which that terminology is associated. Ingeneral, the terms used in the following claims should not be construedto be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in thespecification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitlydefines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the claimsencompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalentways of practicing or implementing the claimed subject matter.

The above detailed description of the embodiments is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise embodiment or formdisclosed herein or to the particular fields of usage mentioned above.While specific embodiments and examples are described above forillustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possiblewithin the scope of the disclosure, as those skilled in the relevant artwill recognize. Also, the teachings of the embodiments provided hereincan be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system describedabove. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described abovecan be combined to provide further embodiments.

Any patents, applications and other references that may be listed inaccompanying or subsequent filing papers, are incorporated herein byreference. Aspects of embodiments can be modified, if necessary, toemploy the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references toprovide yet further embodiments.

In light of the above “Detailed Description,” the Inventor may makechanges to the disclosure. While the detailed description outlinespossible embodiments and discloses the best mode contemplated, no matterhow detailed the above appears in text, embodiments may be practiced ina myriad of ways. Thus, implementation details may vary considerablywhile still being encompassed by the spirit of the embodiments asdisclosed by the inventor. As discussed herein, specific terminologyused when describing certain features or aspects should not be taken toimply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted toany specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the embodimentswith which that terminology is associated.

While certain aspects are presented below in certain claim forms, theinventor contemplates the various aspects in any number of claim forms.Accordingly, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claimsafter filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms forother aspects.

The above specification, examples and data provide a description of thestructure and use of exemplary implementations of the described systems,articles of manufacture and methods. It is important to note that manyimplementations can be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mag dryer, comprising: an attachment basecomprising a magnetic core; a first spacing mount extending from theattachment base; a second spacing mount extending from the attachmentbase; a spreader bar attached at a distal end to the first spacing mountand extending longitudinally therefrom, the spreader bar attached at aproximal end to the second spacing mount; a plurality of drying wandsattached to at least one of the attachment base, the first spacingmount, the second spacing mount, and the spreader bar; and the pluralityof drying wands being relatively long and thin so that the plurality ofdrying wands can be inserted in at least one article of clothing thatneeds to be dried and can support the article in proximity to a heatsource.
 2. The mag dryer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dryingwands number at least two and the drying wands extend upwards so thatthe distal ends of the wands are further apart than the proximal ends.3. The mag dryer of claim 1, wherein there are two drying wands, a firstdrying wand and a second drying wand, and the first drying wand ismounted to the first spacing mount and the second drying wand is mountedto the second spacing mount.
 4. The mag dryer of claim 2, wherein thereare two drying wands, a first drying wand and a second drying wand, andthe first drying wand is mounted to the first spacing mount and thesecond drying wand is mounted to the second spacing mount.